80% of them look very uncomfortable/spooked among even the lightest of traffic.

most of our roads are now quite busy fact! so are horse riders just a little selfish submitting them to the roads in order for them to get their fix?

or have I read it wrong?

How else do they join up the bridleway routes?

what do you propose they do ?

there is one part of a designated area for horses to go on the old railway line here – where they must go onto the road for a short section

when i first saw it i thought WTF are they doing bringing horses on here … then i realised thats where the route goes due to private housing being built on the route before it was designated to the route.

most of our roads are now quite busy fact! so are horse mtb riders just a little selfish submitting them to the roads in order for them to get their fix?

I bet they don’t pay road tax either!

joining bridleways (hadn’t thought of that) ok fair dos!

I bet they don’t pay road tax either!

Yeah and they hold up proper traffic 😉

At least helmets are compulsory.

joining bridleways (hadn’t thought of that) ok fair dos!

Bet there are loads of other things that you’ve never thought too! 🙄

At least helmets are compulsory.

Eh, where?

At least they don’t try to park in TJ’s bike spaces…

Get you’re jogging gear on, get a camera running and go out on the highways and byways running up behind horse riders and punching them, whilst wiggling your cute ass. Then ask the police to put the footage up on youtube. Its the only way these darned equestrians will learn to see things from the impatient point of view of motorists in their newfangled horseless carriages.

80% of them look very uncomfortable/spooked among even the lightest of traffic.

Not the ones I see. Most are pretty calm. I do see some pretty nervous ones on quiet back roads, but they have to start somewhere. I see about as many nervous horses struggling with roads as I do nervous cyclists.

As TJ & TR point out, it’s necessity. We have three horses, & I bike alongside when we hack out, staying off main roads where at all possible. There’s only some times in the year when the local farmers don’t mind “cheeky bridlepaths” down the side of their fields. Although our nags are used to freewheel clicking, it’s still helpful when upcoming cyclists call out prior to passing.
Oh, and since most horses are shod, it’s worth knowing that they will “swerve” around metal covers/gratings, so some streets may become a slalom where the services congregate.

Because they have every right to be there. People have used horses for transport long before cars were invented.

Horses will get nervous when their riders get nervous. Which normally happens because **** in tin boxes don’t use the grey stuff between their ears.

Slow down, give them space.

If on a bike say hello and let them know you are passing.

Cyclists and horse riders should unite to secure trail access and common sense from motorists.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrHKlUQmj5I[/video]

How to do it properly 😀

Although our nags are used to freewheel clicking, it’s still helpful when upcoming cyclists call out prior to passing.

Question: what should we shout and how loud? I usually just shout “Horse” loud enough to be heard but not startle, but always feel a bit daft doing it as I expect the rider/jockey to say “Yes, I know.”

Is ringing a bell useful or is that more likely to startle?

I’ve happy to share the road with anyone – horses included – as us cyclists are just as much of a nuisance to motorists

However, what i detest, and in my opinion, destroys all good will towards many horse riders is the ones who think its acceptable to take their beloved steed for a walk between the hours of 7.30am to 9am or between 4.30pm to 6pm

That, in my opinion, is taking the p*ss

90% of cyclists riding at that time are commuting – they have a purpose – how many people ride their horse to work????

It infuriates me – two horses side by side doing 5mph – totally blocking the road up

I give plenty of room and i pass slowly snd quietly at normal times, but when i’m commuting, i do not, due to the principle, give them any more respect than i would passing a parking van

All lardy upper middle class tw*ts – ooo look at me, i’m so rich i don’t need to work, so i’m gonna slow you lot down!!!

rant over…..

Bet there are loads of other things that you’ve never thought too!

I never thought someone on a bike forum could say such a bitchy thing 😆

Horses can be easily spooked on the road

If you’re coming up from behind them on a bike [especially down-wind] they won’t easily see or hear you
You should really call out well in advance so that the rider and horse know you’re there
Best to say something when you get closer too, just so the horse knows you’re human

At least they don’t try to park in TJ’s bike spaces…

I want to get a horse just so I can try…

I never thought someone on a bike forum could say such a bitchy thing

Clearly new round these parts!

😉

80% of them look very uncomfortable/spooked among even the lightest of traffic.

Really?

There are a couple of riding schools near where I live and horses on the road are not uncommon. Apart from one or two very minor incidents the animals always seem predictable & under control and the riders are courteous and observe the rules of the road.

Urban cyclists could learn a thing or two from them.

as us cyclists are just as much of a nuisance to motorists

Personally, I think motorists are a nuisance to me when I’m cycling rather than the other way round. Cheers.

Question: what should we shout and how loud? I usually just shout “Horse” loud enough to be heard but not startle, but always feel a bit daft doing it as I expect the rider/jockey to say “Yes, I know.”

Is ringing a bell useful or is that more likely to startle?

I can’t claim to speak for all horse-riders (esp. since I’m on a pushbike), but if you estimate you’d be alongside on the road if the nag shied in response, make your call/ring a few seconds before then!
I’m unaware of a BHRA-approved expostulation/warning cry…

(Bonus points if you can get the rider to drop her phone mid-txt)

or have I read it wrong?

yes.

Its craic not crack

what should we shout and how loud?

good whatever time of day it is?

or hello

Its craic not crack

If you’re Irish, it’s craic. In Northern England it is crack – I don’t care what anyone says. Sorry, just need to clear that one up 🙂

Horses can be easily spooked on the road

If we’re using the likelihood of losing ones self-control and causing damage/injury as a reason to be banned from the roads, I wonder how many motorists would be allowed to drive?

I always call froma distance away – bikes do spook some horses as do bells – ” Hello horse rider” – couple of bikes to get past when we can” or similar

If you’re Irish, it’s craic. In Northern England it is crack – I don’t care what anyone says. Sorry, just need to clear that one up

Butcher you clearly don’t know your cracks from your craic!

At least they don’t try to park in TJ’s bike spaces…

Don’t look now, but this chap had other ideas…

… But i don’t care what the rule say, if that bloke takes his bike off there will be plenty of room for my nag….

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN2dB-hJkss[/video]

I nearly got taken out by a horse at new year. Single speed on a fairly long drag of a hill, as I near the top there’s a horse rider from a shoot coming down towards me in the middle of the road. Fair enough, i slow down as much as I can as I go past. As i pass the head of the horse it swings its arse around and forces me on to the grass. Had it decided to kick i probably would of been nasty. I didnt mind all that much, but I didnt even get an apology from the gent who was riding 🙁

Generally, i dont mind horses on the roads, they probably hate being there as much as mountain bikers hate being there.

a few weeks back there was a link on here to an article about turn of the century road cycling which seemed to suggest that cycling only became possible when the railways appeared because prior to that the roads were too congested with horse traffic

sits back and waits for oil price to continue to rise

cycling only became possible when the railways appeared because prior to that the roads were too congested with horse traffic

where they able to take their horses on the trains back then ?

where they able to take their horses on the trains back then ?

If a horse is on a train, on a conveyor belt…..

whats the crack with horses on roads? selfish or naive

Someone seems to think that roads exist purely for the convenience of motorists …

The only people with a right to the road are pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders. And pedestrians have their own little roads called “pavements”.

No one using a motor vehicle has a right to the road. They have permission to use it if they pass a (ridiculously simple) test, have their vehicle tested to check it’s roadworthy, insure themselves againt the damage they can cause and pay a duty to compensate the rest of us for their emissions. That permission can be and is removed if they misbehave.

Yeah what joao3v16 said.

Going horse riding on a busy road at rushhour may not be ideal, it may have been unavoidable, you don’t know. Lets be honest the bridleway network of this country is stupid, it doesn’t connect, they often just end. Not a lot of choice but to take some road in somewhere along the way. Since living in the dales again for a while i’ve become quite pro horse again (despite the way they churn up the trails), this following a series of encounters in the Leeds suburbs and outlying areas with some amazingly irresponsible and agressive horse riders (all on bridleways).

whats the crack with horses on roads? selfish or naive

Someone seems to think that roads exist purely for the convenience of motorists …

The only people with a right to the road are pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders. And pedestrians have their own little roads called “pavements”.

No one using a motor vehicle has a right to the road. They have permission to use it if they pass a (ridiculously simple) test, have their vehicle tested to check it’s roadworthy, insure themselves againt the damage they can cause and pay a duty to compensate the rest of us for their emissions. That permission can be and is removed if they misbehave.

I think you missed the point. The OP is referring to the act being selfish towards the horse not the motorists.

They can always link up bridleways with a few cheeky footpaths, jump a few red lights and hope up the kerb if they are in a bus lane! 🙄